Cesc Fabregas walked onto the stage in Italy as he has so many times before in his career – under the lights, in front of the game’s powerbrokers – but this time the applause was for his brain, not his right foot.
At the Gran Gala del Calcio, the Como head coach was named Coach of the Year, a landmark recognition of his rapid rise on the touchline and his impact on Italian football. The former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder beat a field of established managers to take home one of the evening’s most coveted awards.
Roberto Mancini, coach of the Italy national team, handed him the trophy in person. One generation of playmaker-turned-coach saluting another.
A small club, a big idea
The backdrop to Fabregas’ triumph underlined the scale of his achievement. Inter were named Club of the Year. Federico Dimarco collected Player of the Year. Amid the heavyweight honors for a domestic giant and one of Serie A’s standout performers, the coach of Como – a club he repeatedly describes as “a small reality” – stepped forward.
Fabregas has built his reputation not on defensive caution or grinding results, but on proactive, front-foot football. His young Como side have been encouraged to play with what he calls “youthful energy and technical bravery,” a blend that has drawn praise across Europe and marked him out as one of the continent’s most intriguing young tacticians at 37.
“We made history with very young lads,” he said in his acceptance speech, a pointed reminder that this is a project driven by development as much as results. The message was clear: this award is a milestone, not a destination. “Now we want to try to grow even further.”
Pressure, embraced not feared
As Como’s profile rises, so do the demands. Fabregas did not shy away from that reality. Instead, he leaned into it.
“We are Como, a small reality, we go slowly,” he said, underlining his refusal to let the club’s trajectory spiral into reckless ambition. “We must go step by step, every year the pressure rises and it is a pleasure. We take the pressure naturally.”
That line tells you as much about his coaching as any tactical board. Calm in the storm, yet unapologetically ambitious. He knows the expectations will keep climbing; he wants them to.
The award, he admitted, carries personal weight. “This award pleases me, it is an honour to be here,” he said, while quickly steering the spotlight back to the squad and the long-term plan. The focus, as ever, remains on sustainable growth rather than a quick leap that risks a fall.
Eyes back on Serie A
The ceremony closed, the photographs were taken, and the applause faded. Now the work resumes.
With Coach of the Year secured, Fabregas turns straight back to Como’s domestic campaign, intent on sharpening a team built around a distinct attacking identity in Serie A. The principles will not change: bold on the ball, brave without it, and patient in the club’s evolution.
Step by step, as he keeps repeating.
Como’s coach leaves the gala with a trophy under his arm and a target on his back. The question now is not whether Cesc Fabregas can coach at this level. It is how far this “small reality” can go with him driving it from the touchline.
